Join a panel of VisionServe Alliance members, moderated by Jay Allen of Wayfinder Family Services, on the provision of Behavioral Health Services to people who are blind or visually impaired to learn current trends, challenges, and opportunities posed by the pandemic. The panel will present several models for service provision and funding and take questions from participants.
Jay Allen, Executive VP and COO, Wayfinder Family Services:
Jay Allen is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Wayfinder Family Services. Allen joined Wayfinder in 2000 and oversees the operations of Wayfinder's statewide programs and services. He has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, including the effective management of residential, rehabilitation, educational and recreational programs. Additionally, in his role as a public policy advocate he currently chairs the California Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Allen holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Lesley University and a master's in health care administration from Framingham State University.
Allison Burdett, AVP, Visual Impairment and Developmental Disabilities Services, Wayfinder Family Services:
Allison Burdett serves as Associate Vice President of Visual Impairment & Developmental Disabilities Services and joined Wayfinder Family Services in 2014. In her role Allison oversees Wayfinder's statewide residential and non-residential vision services programs including rehabilitation, training, and employment programs for transition-age youth and adults with visual impairments, a non-public K-12 school, and Early Intervention programs. Ms. Burdett grad ...
https://vsaelc.dryfta.com/ Executive Leadership Conference info@visionservealliance.org
Join a panel of VisionServe Alliance members, moderated by Jay Allen of Wayfinder Family Services, on the provision of Behavioral Health Services to people who are blind or visually impaired to learn current trends, challenges, and opportunities posed by the pandemic. The panel will present several models for service provision and funding and take questions from participants.
Jay Allen, Executive VP and COO, Wayfinder Family Services:
Jay Allen is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Wayfinder Family Services. Allen joined Wayfinder in 2000 and oversees the operations of Wayfinder's statewide programs and services. He has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, including the effective management of residential, rehabilitation, educational and recreational programs. Additionally, in his role as a public policy advocate he currently chairs the California Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Allen holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Lesley University and a master's in health care administration from Framingham State University.
Allison Burdett, AVP, Visual Impairment and Developmental Disabilities Services, Wayfinder Family Services:
Allison Burdett serves as Associate Vice President of Visual Impairment & Developmental Disabilities Services and joined Wayfinder Family Services in 2014. In her role Allison oversees Wayfinder's statewide residential and non-residential vision services programs including rehabilitation, training, and employment programs for transition-age youth and adults with visual impairments, a non-public K-12 school, and Early Intervention programs. Ms. Burdett graduated from Westmont College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Special Education from San Francisco State University and is certified through ACVREP as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist.
Nancy Miller, LMSW, President/CEO, VISIONS/Services for the Blind:
Nancy D. Miller started as Executive Director/CEO of VISIONS in August 1987, 33 years ago. She has a BS degree from Cornell University and a Masters Degree in Social Work from Columbia University with a NYS license in social work since 1975. She has expertise, awards and recognition for her work in aging, disability, blindness, administration and advocacy. She has been honored by VisionServe Alliance, AERBVI, ACB and several local associations. She is a founder of the NY Vision Rehabilitation Association and the Disabilities Network of New York City.
Elsie Grossman, LMHC, CRC, Director, Voc. Rehab. Dept., Lighthouse Guild:
Ms. Elise Grossman, LMHC, CRC is a licensed mental health counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor who has over 30 years of experience in the rehabilitation field. For the past 8 years, Elise has been the Director of Vocational Services at the Lighthouse Guild. Previously, Elise was an Associate Director in the Behavioral Medicine Dept. at the International Center for the Disabled where she managed the Traumatic Brain Injury Program and supervised social workers and psychologists.
Laura Newman, PhD, Behavioral Health Clinic Psychologist, Lighthouse Guild:
Dr. Laura Newman has eighteen years of experience conducting assessment and psychotherapy as a licensed psychologist treating patients with a variety of clinical conditions including traumatic brain injury, adjustment to vision impairment and other physical disabilities, mood disorders, trauma, and personality disorders. Dr. Newman joined the Mental Health Clinic of Lighthouse Guild in 2013 as the clinic's psychologist, where she works within an interdisciplinary team of other mental health providers. Dr. Newman works closely with family and community members of disability-impacted individuals, in order to optimize home-based support for increasing patient coping and self-efficacy. Dr. Newman contributes to Lighthouse Guild's traumatic brain injury education, outreach, and training projects for professional and lay learners on topics related to traumatic brain injury and vision loss. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from New School for Social Research.
Erica Weis MSW, Vision Forward:
Erica Weise is an MSW and has worked in the field of Vision Rehabilitation for over thirty years. She has provided supportive counseling to individuals and their families, including parents of visually impaired babies and children. Erica has facilitated support groups for newly visually impaired persons, older adults, teen girls, parents of visually impaired children and persons with partial vision loss. She conducts sessions on enhancing interactions between sighted and visually impaired individuals. An important part of her approach is using her own life experiences with vision impairment to appreciate the impact of vision loss and build rapport with clients.
